Conservation and preservation of topsoil



CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION OF TOPSOIL Filed Jan., 1a. 1957 25,0 ,5o/7 l f dba/wy I.' 77/77er/a/fe,

.Patented Msy 1s, 1939 PATENT vOFFICE aisassz ooNssavA'rloN AND rasssavsnos or 'rorsom Journey F. Timberlake, ohulmnvme, va.. yimputation January 1s, im, sei-1.1 Ne. 121,209

Y 1o claim. This invention relates to the conservation and preservation of top soil. More particularly it relates to an artificial sub-soil for preventing top soil from washing away and losing its nutritive properties.

There are any number of districts throughout this and other countries where, in spite of ideal climatic conditions, it has been impossible to grow crops because of improper top soil. The improper top soil in most instances is the result of an improper sub-soil. With a sandy sub-soil,

for example, all nutrition in the top soil willl wash downwardly through the sub-soil resulting in a gradual deterioration and impoverishment of the top soil rendering it unfit for growing crops.

'I'he principal lobject of my invention is to avoid such a condition and to prevent the nutrition in a top soil from being dissipated and impoverished by rain, snow and the like.

'I'heinvention resides in the construction of an artificial sub-soil which will tend to keep the top soil in place and will prevent the same from losing its nutrition because of rain carrying the same farl into the surface of the earth. An object of the invention is the production of such -a sub-soil.

Still a further object of my invention resides in providing a sub-soil with a layer of woven fabric treated with a waterproong and preserving substance.

'Ihe invention has foi' another object the provision of an artificial sub-soil of treated cotton fabric, and pulverized clay.

These and other objects will become more ap'- l is shown in the drawing in which the reference numeral 2 represents 'the earth which, of course. will vary in composition and texture in diverse parts of the country. As will be evident from the following discussion, the invention will probably be found to be most beneficial when used in semitropical regions where the base or sub-soil is sandy or porous thus making it difficult to hold water. When such is the case the rain water will seep through the top soil and carry all the nutrition down into the earth thus depriving the top soil of those properties essential to the growing of plants.

`To prevent this from occurring, I propose to ,place a layer I of treated woven fabric over the sub-soll. This fabric is preferably cotton of widths as wide as will still permit ease of handling. The reason for having the fabric as wide as possible is to reduce the number of overlaps. The woven fabric is treated to waterproof and preserve the same, and at the joints or overlaps particular attention lmust be paid to prevent openings through which water might escape to the earth below. Moreover, it is preferable to sew or otherwise join the overlapping portions of the woven fabric strips together to lessen the y, danger of separation and the consequent loss of water. Thus, it is manifest that by using wider strips of fabric less sewing or joining need be done. The cost of applying the invention can thus be reduced materially.

'I'he cotton woven fabric, as stated, should be treated to render it waterproof and flexible, and so as to preserve it and prevent it from rotting. While other compositions come within the scope of the invention, I prefer to treat the fabric with a mixture of red lead, linseed oil and paraffin which I have found to be satisfactory. The proportions should be as follows:

Percent Red lead 10 to 30 Linseed oil 1 40 to 60 Paramn 15 to 35 The'preferred proportions should be as follows:

` Percent Red lead 20 Linseed oil 55 Paraflln 25 Such a mixture will keep the fabric flexible and waterproof and will preserve it from rotting and deterioration.

Other satisfactory waterproofing and preserving compositions will suggest themselves such as bituminous or asphaltic tar compositions and mixtures including China oil, and the nature of such compositions will in part be dictated by the materials available in the locality in which the invention is to be employed, and also by the nature of the soil. Naturally an alkali soil or one containing considerable ammonia will .require a different type of treating mixture.

In the example given, the red lead preserves the fabric, the linseed oil keeps it flexible, and .the paraflln along with the other ingredients renders it waterproof. Any mixture used should be able to impart these properties to the fabric.

The fabric may be treated prior to being laid or even after being laid although at least a preliminary treating is perhaps preferable. The application maybe by way of spraying, pouring or by dipping or running the fabric through a mixture.

While the top soil 6 may be placed directly over the fabric and in suilicient depth for plant growing, it is preferable to lay a layer-of clay I on the fabric first. The clay, for best'results should be pulverized or comminuted first andl then distributed evenly over the fabric to a depth of from about four to eight inches or even more. The clay upon .wetting from a good rain then forms an excellent support for the top soil. Moreover, if the top soil is to bel worked or plowed from time to time the clay serves as a protection for the fabric and will warn the operator if the plowing extends too close to the fabric.

The topsoil 6 should be of a depth of from six to twelve inches or more and maybe of any desirable type. For example, earth, clay or sand may be mixed with garbage, compost, manure or the -like and left to stand for some time. The

presence of the waterproofed cotton fabric prevents all the nutriment from the top soil from passing through and into the 4earth where its value is dissipated. The invention contemplates the use of any suitable fertilizer or plant food.

The invention should be excellent for reclaiming lands which at present are waste lands. Unproductive top soil could be removed from such lands to permit the laying of the cotton woven fabric, and then mixed with refuse, garbage, or the like and replaced. The top soil will then gradually become enriched due to the decomposition of therefuse. Because of the presence oi' the waterproofed woven fabric, however, the richness of the refuse material will not wash through the top soil and down into the earth to a level where it will be of no benefit to growing plants.

In particular the invention should prove of real value in semi-tropical or tropical climates where there is a great amount of waste land having a highly vporous base. In such regions the land if treated according to the invention can be made to produce the year around. The products will ilnd a ready winter market in cities the north.

It is possible to depart from the disclosure vtlif given without departing from the inventive condisposed beneath the clay, said woven layer being supported by the earth.

y 2. An artincial soil construction comprising a layer of top soll, a layer oi' pulverized or coxnminuted clay beneath said top soil, and a layer of waterproofed cotton woven fabric disposed beneath said clay, said cotton layer being. supported by the earth.

3. An -artificial soil construction comprising a layer` of waterproofed cotton woven fabric disposed on the ground, a layer of clay disposed on tween the top soil and the sub-soil, said layerV having been treated with a substance to renderv the, same waterproof and flexible and to preserve it.

6. A method of making an artificial soll structure for use on highly porous ground which consists in placing a layer of waterproofed exible woven vcotton fabric treated wth a preservative over said porous ground, a layer of clay on said fabric, and a layer of top soil on the clay.

'1. A method of making an artificial soil structure for use on highly pervious ground which consists in removing a layer of the ground, depositing a layer of waterproofed, flexible woven cotton fabric treated with a preservative on the remaining ground, placing a layer of clay on the fabric, placing the removed top soil on the clay, and mixing the replaced top soil with a fertilizer.

8. An artificial soil construction comprising a layer of top soiland disposed therebeneath a layer of Waterproofed woven fabric treated with a f 9. An artificial soil construction comprising a f layer of top soil and disposed therebeneath a` layer of waterproofed woven fabric treated with a composition consisting of from 10 to 30% red lead, 40 to 60% linseed oil, and 15 to 35% of"50 l0. An artificial soil construction comprising a layer of top soil and disposed therebeneath a layer of waterproofed woven fabric treated with' a composition consisting of 20% red lead, 55% linseed oil, and y25% paraffin.

JOURNEY F. 'mmERLAKn 

